Art and Earth Science by Grass
Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist Before GPS and tablets, every strike and dip was inked by hand by geologists. It is a ritual of observation and artistry. There is a certain romance in geology that isn’t always captured by equations, satellite images, or the neat layers of a GIS map. Long before digital mapping… Continue reading Writing Like a Geologist: Field Notes, Maps, and the Fountain Pen Tradition
by Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist This morning, I reached for my favorite Colourette lip tint and powder blush as I get ready for work. The small tube of color and compact blush brighten my face and my day. These two are more than makeup for me. They're a symbol of creativity, courage, and… Continue reading Earth, Beauty, and Empowerment: Why Buying Local Makeup Supports More Than Skin Deep
by Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist There’s something grounding about creating color with your own hands — literally. Long before tubes of paint lined art store shelves, artists and scientists alike relied on the earth itself for pigment: crushed rocks, minerals, clay, and soil. Each hue told a story of its origin — a… Continue reading Colors from the Earth: Making Natural Watercolor Pigments from Rocks and Soil
This year, I wanted our Christmas tree to be more than just festive—it had to tell our story. Every ornament hanging from its branches represents something we love as a family, something that made this year uniquely ours. In addition to the usual glass baubles and glittery ribbons, I chose to decorate with pieces that hold… Continue reading A Christmas Tree That Tells Our Story
With Christmas just around the corner, handmade gifts are the ultimate expression of thoughtfulness. You’re giving not just an item, but a moment, a creative spark, a personal touch, with the person in mind. This year, instead of heading to the mall, why not gift something crafted with love—whether it’s a scented candle, a watercolor… Continue reading Simple and Affordable Handmade Christmas Gifts Ideas
Whenever I think about giving a gift to my friends or family, I often wonder: would they really appreciate a painting made by me? After all, not everyone collects art, visits galleries, or even talks about paintings in their daily lives. But the more I reflect on it, the more I realize that a handmade artwork is… Continue reading Why I Often Choose to Give Away My Paintings as Gifts to Friends, Colleagues, and Family
What Is Polaroid Film? Polaroid film, or instant film, is a type of film that develops a picture within minutes after it's taken. It has layers with light-sensitive chemicals. When you take a photo, light exposes the film like in traditional photography. As the photo comes out, rollers apply a chemical that develops the image.… Continue reading Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo (Brown Body) — My July Project’s New Star
Earlier this month, a fellow MS in Geology graduate who now works with the UP Resilience Institute and I discussed a bold, forward-looking idea: what if Metro Manila could reimagine itself not as a flood-prone metropolis struggling to cope with yearly inundations, but as a “sponge city", an urban landscape designed to live with water rather than fight… Continue reading How Sponge Cities Can Mitigate Metro Manila’s Flood Issues
Earlier this week, I found myself walking alone among the sunflowers lining University Avenue in UP Diliman—my alma mater, my academic home. On an ordinary summer day, the late afternoon sun might have cast a golden light over everything. But it’s already the rainy season, and the skies that day were anything but clear. The… Continue reading Walking Among the Sunflowers and A Quiet and Victorious End to My Graduate Study (for now)
Yesterday was no ordinary day at work. Instead of reports and meetings, my colleague and I rolled up our sleeves, tied on aprons, and stepped into the makeshift office kitchen spotlight to represent our department in this year’s Master Chef Challenge—and guess what? We won! The task sounded simple (but wasn’t): prepare healthy snacks in under 30 minutes using a surprise… Continue reading Teamwork, Avocados & a Surprise Win at the Master Chef Contest in the Office
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